Sony - LinkBuds Fit

I definitely second this, linkbud fits have been the best I've found for call quality (in reference to the person on the other end actually hearing me). The jabra active elite 8 gen 2 were trash and the biggest letdown out of my vast search, and I mean vast search. Nothing about that particular earbud (JAE8G2) is good, other than the fact of how rugged it's "supposed to be." But everything else I read reviews on suggested they were fantastic in all apsects, and nothing could have been further from my experience, so that makes me doubt their actual ruggedness. I ran my tests for call quality in airports, on trams, trains, busy streets, noisy office environments and in the back of my facilities where we run large air compressors, impact tools, welders and there's always someone beating on something metal with something else made out of metal. The linkbud fits were the first pair of buds I came across where I didn't have to continuously repeat myself to my dedicated test subject, my wife. I've been intrigued about the huawei free bud pro 4's, but I've heard that you need a huawei phone to really take advantage of their earbuds, so thats held me off from trying them. However, they are on sale right now for 138, so I may just give em a go.

Hey. For what it's worth, my local Best Buy had the new Sony Link Buds Fit in stock (only pair) and I picked them up to check out. So far, I really like them. ANC is not quite on par with some of the others, and the battery life isn't 6+ hours like most of the others, but that's really about all I have for the moment. If you don't end up keeping your XM5, maybe have a look at the linkbud fits. I have no idea how my local best buy had them, as on Amazon it says pre-order and even sonys website says pre-order. Maybe he sold me the "these are for the display when they are released" pair. Who knows. So far, I am really digging them, though. Small case, small and light form factor buds, they are comfortable as all get out, have most of the features of the XM5 and the wife says the call quality is really good, even when I fired up the huge air compressor in my garage and stood right by it. At that point, she said I sounded like I was a little underwater but couldn't really hear the compressor and could still hear me. Like I said, the ANC is not quite as good as some of the others (particularly quick, sharp sounds and running water get through) and the battery life is probably the least of all of them, but, for me, I think I've found what I've basically been looking for. Maybe this can help someone else as well. Take care!

I've had my linkbuds fit for about 4 days now and have not experienced the screeching due to ANC that you have described. I don't use the auto adjusting ANC feature as it's easy enough to cycle it on and off through a left double tap, though i did give it a go. When the ANC is on, I do use the speak/listen feature (or whatever it's called) where it's automatically cuts the ANC when you start talking and you can hear responses. No screeches at all through any of my messing around with the settings. These things are friggin comfy though, aren't they? And they stay put. I wish they were able to be charged via Qi, that's the one complaint I'd have right now if I was picking them apart. Seems pretty wild to have a 200 dollar pair of buds without wireless charging. But, I knew that before I purchased them and bought them anyway. I also picked up the silicone case for them and definitely like that as well.

I was talking about how the person on the other end of the line could hear me, though I've not had any issues hearing the other person either. They seem to be plenty loud if you dial them in. I've tested a grip of earbuds strictly for call quality in my traveling for work (airports, shuttles, the tram at DIA, etc.), and it was pretty astounding how poorly many of them did. The biggest letdown was the Jabra elite 8 gen 2's. Those things had glowing reviews online, and they just did not live up to anything I read about in any way. For me, anyway. I will say, though, I've started to notice some weird quirks with the link bud fits, particularly if I use them with my steamdeck. Weird connection issues, not syncing and only playing sound on one bud, taking forever to connect and recently a significant battery drain on the left vs right, as in, the left earbud dies at about 2 hours and the right is still right at 50%. However, this (as far as I can tell as of now) seems to be isolated to the deck, and I have neen talking with a sony rep trying to figure out what's going on, but no love yet. Hope that helps!

I have an s22 ultra and a s24 ultra, so I tried on both. My wife has an iphone 16 pro max (or whatever it's called) and also owns the airpods pro 2. Ive tried them and those seem to be good, but, to me, they seem to work better on the apple eco-system. Go figure, right. Transparency was better on the airpods though. They are pretty solid at that, not that the fits are terrible, though. Again, keep in mind that when I say call quality, it is mainly related to how the person on the other end hears me (or doesn't hear me), not how I hear them (though ive never really had an issue hearing others, not with being able to raise volumes, anc, etc). Hope this helps!

So I ran a quick test with my wife regarding what you asked, and the call quality (again, this relating to how the person on the other end can hear you, not how you hear them) was on par between the fits and the pro 2's. I won't be able to test them in an airport or on the shuttle train (like at DIA, for instance) but I was able to run them standing next to my lsrger than most air compressor and that's a pretty good test in of itself. Here's the caveat though. Would I spend 175 ish (or whatever they currently are, I paid 199 for mine) for the fits if I already owned the pro 2's, especially if my phone was an iphone? Well.... unless I just really wanted to get away from apple or just really disliked the ear stem part of the earbud, probably not. But I was a yes to both of those. Hope that helps a bit. If there is anything els3 you would like to know, please feel free.

You're welcome, anytime. Well, I was looking for something specifically to use for phone calls while traveling, something that would stay put in the hustle and bustle of it and be comfortable. When I bought the Fit, I didn't know they existed as I stumbled across them at my local best buy, and I actually think I bought their "go put these out on the display" set, because it took like 4 or 5 days before i seen them come up for sale on their actual website, or on amazon or even sonys website. Who knows. I really didn't want to buy another Sony product, to be truthful, but the "brand new" got me lol. I had the xm4 when they came out and had nothing but issues with the batteries and replacement after replacement. The S (didnt test) had the same reported issues, as did the xm5 (tested), in my research. Folks were all over the board on that when I dug into it, so i couldn't really get a good guage, but I knew I had issues, so in my head, I was going to keep having issues, but again....brand new product lol. Ive tried about a dozen or so earbuds next to one another to address my needs (making phone calls) and the fits were the ones that won out on this, for me. The biggest letdown down and the ones i really thought would be the answer (and the ones i really wanted to work out) were the Jabra elite active 8 gen 2's. Every review that I found on them that did sound testing made them seem like they would definitely address my use case, and they were just a total let down all over the board. Sound was meh, app was alright, phone call quality sucked. They didn't even make it past sitting in a quite room, my wife said I sounded like I was underwater lol. So I would say the reason I ended up with the fits over the S is strictly because of me stumbling upon a brand new product I didn't know existed when I found them. How they happened to be the ones that had the best call quality out of all the ones I tried is beyond me, but here we are lol.

That's interesting....and definitely unfortunate. For what it's worth, I bought mine from Best Buy in the U.S. If youre buying them off Amazon, I wonder how many other folks that are having this issue purchased theirs off Amazon as well. Maybe it's Amazon in general that got a bad batch of them. Maybe those got distrubuted throughout the UK....or possibly elsewhere in the world as well. But if you didn't get them from Amazon, that blows that theory up lol. However, i am sitting here messing with them right now and if I push the earbud in and up, I can 9 times out of 10 replicate the sound.....so far. Weird. On an completely off-track but not really topic, the friggin Jabra Active 8 elite gen 2's i had would screech like a banshee when I put them back in their case after about 20-30 s3conds. Took me a good while to figure out where the sound was coming from. I'm typically surrounded by so many electronics, i didn't even know where to start looking lol. This brings me to a thought that maybe it's the way the in ear detection works with the ANC/no ANC feature. The fact that I can push them in and up and get replication might further that thought, but if that's the case, something in the design of the earbud and your ear canal might not be jamming together, which, really, would be an issue with the design I'd say. Have you tried the "are your eartips sealing" feature in the app? I'm sure you have, but if not, maybe give it a go and see if it registers as a good seal. I say this, because I felt like the stock eartips that came preinstalled (no idea what size as only the ones in the box were labeled so I'd figure the ones on it are medium) were too big for me. No worries, I thought, I'll just throw some of my M/S spiral dots on and be good to go. But ohhhh no, regular everyday eartips that fit everything else don't fit these. The nozzle is too short, by far, and the flange isn't far enough up to grip anything. I found that interesting in a "that's stupid" sort of way. On the eartips they supplied, i figured I'd start with the XS and work up from there. Xs, S and large were in the spares. The XS were waaaay to small, so on to the smalls. They fit much better and felt closer to my spiral dots, most definitely. However, no matter what I did, I couldn't get the app to recognize that the right bud was sealed and, because of that (I'm guessing) everything suffered. So, back to what I'm guessing is the medium (the ones that came pre-installed) and all of a sudden everything is back to working better and the app detects a seal. Don't know if that helps or not, and do take it with a grain of salt, but that has been my weird experience so far.

Well, I’ve bought a pair of Linkbuds Fit for my girlfriend (she has relatively small ears, not miniature, just on the smaller side for a woman, not sure how they’d compare to yours😅), and unfortunately she complains of ‘ear pain’ after about an hour of use. I tried them multiple times myself (my ears are on the smaller side for a man) and they’re awesome, never had a problem with them being painful after prolonged use (a problem I experienced with my APP), the sound is respectable (not APP2 level, of course), and they stay in the ear really well! Oh, and the gestures are nice, I find them particularly useful when riding my bike as you don’t have to search for the button like on the APP, you can just tap your whole ear with your palm/finger if you want. If the APP2 fit you in general just don’t stay in your ear, I’d say the Linkbuds Fit might be an option for you. Just don’t forget to enable Bluetooth headset priority when taking/making calls in Accessibility settings on your iPhone, otherwise you’ll have to manually select your earphones everytime, since they’re not a ‘native apple product’. Good luck! Edit: grammar

No worries😁 I’ve had them for a couple of months only. Correct me if i’m wrong but i think they were released mid-november 2024. I mean the hooks are hollow inside, they are made of a soft material (think silicone/rubber), so they’re soft and adapt to the shape of the ear. Imagine a miniature balloon with walls thick enough to support its shape, but thin enough to be soft and adapt according to the shape of the ear. There’s air inside the hook, but they’re not air-tight, as in you cannot puncture them by accident. As far as my experience goes, i did not notice anything particularly alarming so far, they seem well-made to me. Additionally, you can buy official replacement hooks for a reasonable price (20€ i think). edit: grammar. Oh, and from the pictures online i was afraid that the case would be bigger than that of APP, but it’s actually tiny and even more pocketable than APP. It’s a tiny bit taller, but a square, so a bit shorter in width. Overall, was pleasantly impressed by the case. In this photo you can see the silicone/rubber material of the hooks i was talking about more clearly. The photo is not mine, found it online, the buds are with my girlfriend currently. https://preview.redd.it/vq6gmuqwhrfe1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9426a0f9ad8840b4f51794333bbc4a39e58e172

I upgraded a pair of cheap JBLs to Sony LinkBuds Fit and consider it money well spent.

I'll join in the haters. I got these yesterday to replace some $80 Soundcore earbuds and by far prefer those ones. The mic is awful. Picks up more background noise than my actual voice. Using Krisp helps a bit. I use this with my macbook though, so the Sony app isn't here to help. I get way better sound quality using my macbook mic in a relatively quiet cafe than with these. Sound quality is nice but nothing to swoon over. Noise cancellation is constantly changing so there's a whooshing sound as it switches to match ambient noise. If you live anywhere urban this is insane - it just doesn't work. Defo taking these back.

I recently purchased the linkbud fit earbuds, and for the life of me, I can't get it to answer a call. I have unpaired it, made sure that it has the current software upgrade, and still it will click, but it won't answer. It does control my music, but it won't answer a call. Any advice?

Wow, I thought the head gestures were an option to answer or decline calls. Thanks.

I'm trying to like these, but the answer and decline are bizarre features. I placed a call yesterday and tried to end it by shaking my head to end the call. It didn't work. Am I missing something? You can only head nod/shake to answer or decline a call. What about ending a call that you initiated? Weird for me.

I found out from Sony that you can triple tap to answer and end a call. I'm happy to be able to do this now.

It's ready to go. No special settings. You just triple tap to answer or decline a call. You're welcome.

I'm sorry, I meant that you triple tap for: answer and end. I didn't ask about declining a call.

Thanks for getting back to me. I will disable the answer feature bc I feel silly nodding and shaking my head to answer or decline a received call. Lol. Have a great weekend.

Why do I have to tap 5 times to change volume? Can't configure the tap controls in the app as the default taps are fixed at: double tap to play/pause, triple tap to change track and 5 times tap to increase/decrease volume. Ridiculous and user unfriendly. Hate this earbuds.

Sony linkbuds fit only one u can sleep on and good sound quality tws

H guys i just got this but touch control awful most of time not operational and barely works Am i doing something wrong?

I figured out. It worked only on your skin over ear u need to tap and change sensivity over app from standard to high then it works perfect but so awkward i cant use bud itselfs lol. Only ur skin. Anyway

I needed them for running and causal listening. I dont usd tws for intense listening or home listening . Linkbuds fit small very comfy and stay in my ear not like xm5 or many earbuds without wingtip fall out of my ear . It just does job for me

I'm having the same exact issue I got them 4 days ago as well

Thank you!!!! Just tried it works perfectly now! Wow who would know? I come from regular linkbuds s where you actually touch the buds lol . Thanks alot

The Elite 8 Active 2s have a lot of issues. I had to file a warranty repair for them. They sent me a brand new pair but I sold it on eBay. This is despite the fact that the sound quality was exceptional and the wear comfort was unparalleled. For the list that you provided all options are great though I will give the edge to the LinkBuds. Also look into the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro. The sound quality is 2nd to none and it does very well at the gym. The only issue with it is the case imo… it is a space helmet design which I’m still kinda getting used to and it is on the bigger side. All else I’m very satisfied with them.

Wasn't on your list, but have you checked out the Sony linkbuds fit? I had the xm5s and I liked their features and sound quality, but I couldn't run in them ( lifted in them but had to adjust them frequently) I bought refurb linkbuds fit recently off eBay for 80ish bucks. So far really happy with the fit, sound quality, and features.

They fit in good, but rely heavily on the foam tips to stay in, for sure each person's ears will be different, I found that earbuds with wingtips like the pixel buds-A and now the Sony linkbuds fit stay in my ear the best. Hope the xm5s work well for you, fwiw I think they are great buds and I sometimes regret selling them, as they worked well for me 80% of the time, guess I've just been chasing my perfect earbud ha

I recently got the earbuds from BestBuy and I left a comment regarding the poor performance of the ANC. In my testing of the earbuds I also got a ringing noise, it was faint but I could hear it fairly well. Also I noticed that when ANC was active there would be this weird fading in and out of the ANC itself as if it was trying to stabilize, but could not get it quite right. This issue was present both when I had ANC on and streaming audio as well as when I had ANC with no audio streaming. I wanted to make sure that it wasn't just a defective pair so I bought a second pair and I can assure you that the issue described above and the issue that I am detailing was not exclusive to the 1st pair that I bought. Now I will say, I am unaware if this is a QA issue or a firmware issue (which I hope it is) but I did perform the hour plus update on the buds before noticing the issue so I am not sure if the update was what introduced the problems with the ANC. Aside from that I am a fan of everything else on the buds, considering this is the beats fit competitor that we all needed. the wingtips don't hurt thanks to the air filled tips as opposed to the hard silicone used on the beats fit pro. Sound quality, in my opinion, is fantastic especially for the size. I think these have a way better sound profile and curve that the linkbuds s, with a fuller more spacious sound, which makes these a perfect update from its predecessor. Mic quality is decent, limited by size, but decent. as for touch controls, on the earbuds themself I find them to be a hit or miss at times just because you never really know if you are making the proper contact with the touch sensor. As for the conduction controls, I find them to be alright, the idea is fantastic but sometimes I find myself smacking myself in the head just for it to register, and that may very depending on user. But I do think there is a sweet spot for that feature that will need to be dialed in. App support is standard Sony works great has a ton of features and I would recommend using the equalizer just to brighten these up a bit more. Realistically, I think these are a go if they can figure out the ANC issue. however if ANC is not a huge deal breaker for you then I would say get it especially since the issue is not present when ANC is off nor when transparency is active. I use ANC heavily so I will be returning both pairs, because for $199.99 I think tech should just work properly. But if there are any updates to the ANC or Sony drops a firmware update to fix the problem let me know and reply to this.

Just wanted to add that I have the exact same problem where during ANC it gradually starts screeching until it pops and it sounds like the ANC resets and cycles again. Shaking my head or clashing my teeth (any sudden noise) causes it to pop prematurely but it cycles again. Happens with only my left earbud. This is my second pair from Amazon UK. I might try 1 more and hope to get lucky but it does seem to be a problem with the quality control here

Sony linkbuds fit are comfortable!

Not on your list, but maybe look at Sony Linkbuds Fit. I just got a pair this week and they are small, comfortable, lightweight and have a fin to keep them in your ear. Maybe someone else who has them can chime in though because I have not used them for the length of time you are needing and I've heard mixed reviews on the anc. At the volume I was using them I couldn't hear someone speaking directly at me with anc off (which may or may not be close to a screaming baby through a wall).

Battery life is good. I haven't worn them for a long enough time to fully wear down the battery. I find the fit very comfortable. The soft fins are a little weird, but they work. And they are very small and lightweight. I don't sleep with them in, but if I was going to choose one of my pairs for that purpose, those would be it. (Currently have Powerbeats Pro, Huawei Freebuds Pro 3, Denon Perl Pro and the Sony Linkbuds Fit)

I've had mine since release date (so eight days now) and have used them extensively since. I have the same screeching/whistling issue that you describe, but with one difference... Initially I thought it was only when touching or moving them, as if certain angles were creating a screeching wind tunnel or something. But I've since realised it's far more common than that, and sometimes happens without touching when playing music in relatively calm environments (like my office). The screeching only occurs for me on the Ambient Sound setting though - I've tested extensively and cannot recreate it with ANC or Off. Is yours definitely happening on ANC? When you say it seems to work for a few seconds then screeches, that may be it auto-switching to Ambient? I'm really hoping an update will fix it. My other thoughts on them are: The Good + sound quality is good-to-very good - much better than my previous Pixel Buds A. + fit and comfort are excellent. + phone calls seem decent so far - again, better than my previous Pixel Buds A. + the wide touch controls are great, as you say. The Bad - battery life of the buds (and the case) is poor - I tested them twice at exactly 3 hours 10 minutes from full charge to dead with continuous podcast then Netflix use. - the ANC is mediocre but I expected that. - a minor thing but I find the case a bit ugly, and I slightly struggle to place the buds back in the dark too. Overall, I'll probably keep them but fingers crossed for a big firmware update.

Having some weird issues with ANC on these also --- sometimes it sounds like the ANC is moving around -- don't think i've got anything adaptive enabled. But the ANC generally feels like it's all over the place with it cutting in and out even in a fairly quiet room.

Mine were from Sony UK direct --- really disappointed that they have this weird issue --- but they're gone now so can't do any more testing. They were the most speculatularly comfortable earbuds ever though

For me it's just that the sound profile completely changes moment to moment --- like the ANC is hopping around hunting ... that's with me sat completely still and within 1 minute it'll have changed the sound 5 times sometimes super heavy mids, other time ANC goes away in one ear, it's just really odd

I bought a pair on Sunday, returned them on Wednesday. I was hopeful as someone who has small ears and needs the wing to secure the buds, but the hollow wing was basically useless. That on top of the horrible noise cancelling made them a no for me. No screeching though, unless I pressed too hard to get them back in place. (I have an iPhone) I bought them for running, but I will say that when I wore them at my desk at work, these were by far the most comfortable earbuds I've ever worn. Feels like nothing in your ear. I used to wear the Beats fit pro, which were slightly uncomfortable and my left earbud always fell out on runs. If anyone has an alternative to these buds, I'm all ears (pun intended)!

I have them and I am going to return them, they are a disappointment. They sound much worse than the linkbuds S and the little tab on them hurts me.

Honestly just get the Sony Linkbuds Fit. Better features. Can get them refurbished from eBay for like 70 bucks

Sony released the c710 that is supposed to have better ANC, but it is very new (Linkbuds Fit definitely has better ANC). One Plus Buds 3 or Nothing Buds A seemed to be well liked. I think One Plus may be a bit better on ANC. Earfun Air Pro 4 has quite good anc for about 65.00.

Sony used a different battery with the LinkBuds Fit and XM5 earbuds, they haven’t had battery issues.

Anything Earfun. Justification.. I get to review a fair amount of buds from a lot of the main brands Last night I was reviewing the new Sony link buds fit, and even though they are good, they are not brilliant, so I got a few of my favourite bluetooth sets out to compare. In order of the best sounding in my opinion were Earfun free pro 3 Earfun air pro 4 (better fit than the above) Rose technics ceramic Sennheiser TW4 Last is the Sony's. Earfun just do everything right, and for a fraction of the cost of the big boys.

Most TWS don't have a 3.5mm connection on the case, but rather, a USB plug. (Or, if you buy Apple, a Lightning plug.) I recommend Sony LinkBuds Fit, if you don't mind the price. They're supposedly very comfortable when you use them on a plane, and they stay secure in your ears while running/jogging too. The ANC is pretty good, and they are IPX4 sweat/water-resistant. As for the 3.5mm case connection, the LinkBuds Fit use USB-C, but you could buy something like the Twelve South Airfly Pro, which is a Bluetooth Signal Transmitter, if you really need that feature as well.

My Linkbuds Fit arrived yesterday. The fit was excellent, the control system (tapping your skin close to the ear) I was skeptical about how well that would work, but was very pleasantly surprised. They do have one massive flaw, or at least the buds that I got have this flaw. Which was, a terrible screeching/whistling sound in the right earbud every time I use ANC. Sometimes it's a constant screech, sometimes it's a pulsing, either way it makes ANC unusable as the screech is so loud I can't hear the podcast I'm listening to. Has anyone else had this problem? I have returned them to Amazon and a replacement is arriving Thursday, am hoping they will be OK, as every other aspect of these buds I love.

I did indeed purchase them from UK Amazon, there is only one review of these up there so far, and he gave it a 5 star ratting with no mention of the awful screeching. Yes, I have don't the fit test, and it gave me thumbs up for a large in the right and medium in the left. I have also tried every other tip supplied in the box, and a few third party tips from Azla, all to no avail, the screech remains. It is not something I can just try to ignore as it is a very loud and piercing sound making the ANC unusable, meaning for me they are not worth the £180 price tag. If Sony come up with a firmware update in the next 2 weeks, or the solution is found, I'll keep them, otherwise back to Amazon. This will sadden me as they are otherwise excellent earbuds.

i love the fit of the linkbuds fit but the ANC is horrible . i was not expecting this from SONY , i have the previous model linkbuds s and they have better noise cancelling then these. even tozo 50 bucks earbuds have better anc then these . i really hope they release an update and fix it

i love the fit of the linkbuds fit but the ANC is horrible . i was not expecting this from SONY , i have the previous model linkbuds s and they have better noise cancelling then these. even tozo 50 bucks earbuds have better anc then these . i really hope they release an update and fix it

Beats Fit Pro or Sony Linkbuds Fit are the two that I know of. Both have "premium" pricing though. I've just bought the Sony. My decision was because I use Android, the Sony are the newer product (I know this doesn't necessarily mean they're better), and the foam wings on the Beats are evidently prone to breaking. Very happy with the sound quality, although after 4 or 5 runs with the Sony I'm still doing some trial and error with the different size tips to make them feel as secure as I want.

Shokz when racing and permitted - half and marathon in particular I can get a good boost from the right song appearing in my playlist shuffle. For solo training runs - Sony Linkbuds Fit, with pass through on. They're much more expensive than any other earbuds I've tried, but the sound quality is mind blowing (to me at least!). It's had me trawling streaming services for new tracks for my playlist, and had me excited about running just to have them in. Rarely seem to listen to music apart from in the car nowadays, but wearing these at home has made me notice parts of tracks for the first time, even if it's something I've been listening to for years.

The SonyLink Buds Fits have been one of the most comfortable and great sounding earbuds I’ve ever owned. They have a wingtip so that will help with issues of staying in your ear and they are made for people who work out so can resist some sweat. They cost $200 but with Amazon Prime Day that should go down a decent amount.

Sadly the mics are not great for the price. There are samples online if you want to hear for yourself. I've tested in various situations and I'm not impressed at all and they will most likely be going back due to the poor mics :-(

Just recently I also bought Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) and I couldn't be happier. Awesome sound and amazing, amazing, amazing ANC performance for earbuds! and the comfort..maaan..Default size out of the box fits and feels amazing (size 1 wing, M-size eartip). They were off 20% on [amazon.de](http://amazon.de) and I was hesitant to buy them first with quite many users complaining on connectivity and what-not, but with latest update installed, I haven't had a single issue with them with the heaviest of testing. Before buying these I had bought Sony LinkBuds Fit as replacement for my broken Beats Fit Pro (wing tip broke after like 1.5\~ year of usage for the second time actually..had the same issue with other Beats Fit Pro), which I really like in terms of comfort and sound, but they (Sony LinkBuds Fit) are not even close in ANC performance vs these (Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024)) Don't get me wrong, the ANC on Sony LinkBuds Fit is also good, but its different and it depends if you prefer such type of ANC. I, for ANC, prefer the approach Bose takes, blocking out pretty much all frequencies.

The EQ is going to be mostly personal preference. I usually like to boost the higher frequencies, but I find the linkbuds fit almost a bit harsh on the high end, so I had to back down the higher frequencies. Have you tried the "Find your equalizer" option in the Sony app? It's pretty basic, but you can get an idea of what you like and tweak from there. Or start with one of the preset EQs in the app and modify from there.

About 6 months now. No battery problems, still getting me through nearly 10 to 12 hours with ANC or Transparency. I've used the XM4s and LinkBuds before, and I can say that I've had issues with both in terms of connectivity. As for battery, I think that's an issue with earlier models, it should be a lot less prevalent with the XM5s

I've just replaced mine, I have weird shaped and small ears so I ordered like 7 different pairs, from Bose ultras down to some odd Amazon knock-off brands to compare both fit and quality. The Sony Linkbuds S were far and away the winner for me, quality is great, I think it spent £109, and I personally found the noise cancelling better on them than the Bose at twice the price. Partly due to the fit I'm sure, but still really impressed My previous pair were Melomania 1+, I loved them at the time but I think my Sony's are even better now

I use a Linkbuds S. Feels special to me keeping it Sony branded and amazing to have ANC and quality sound while gaming on PSP.

They are great buds but they don’t fit well in my ears. The link bud S are the best feeling earbuds I’ve ever used, the xm5’s fall out or start to fall out, breaking the seal, resulting in ambient mode all the time because it’s hanging out my ear. I’d say save yourself a couple hundred $’s and get the link bud s from Sony.

Oh also the foam tips trap earwax like a mofo

Jabra elite 7 active or sony link buds, both great mics and all rounder daily use.

Shokz open run pro for secure fit or sony linkbuds for better calls in open ear style.

As someone with similar struggles - soft in-ear hooks. There's the occasional unicorn design that just works, but your best bet is something that fits securely not just into your ear canal. Unfortunately most of that category is sports gear that's both very bassy and uncomfortable to outright painful for longer sessions, but something like the Sony Linkbuds, basic Beats Fit Pro or previous gen of Bose QuietComfort might pop up just within your budget if you keep an eye on sales and discounts.

I have sony linkbuds s but they got damaged so i wanted to ask should i buy this or look for som more premium to compare to the sony linkbuds s? Please any opinion please share really confused

Avoid WF xm4, and link buds they have battery problem

Link buds series

Hi I’m considering buying someone new headphones. After the issue i am having with my current Bose quiet comforts. That I’ve had less than a year. I got them back in October. My issue is that whenever im outside the audio cuts out or glitches. Most of the time this is on the aware mode. But i realized the other day that it happens on noise cancellation aswell. Less often but still happens. It’ll cut out with the slightest noise ( like the wind is barely blowing or a car drive by) I’m not even in that noisy of an environment. For example a single car will go by like every 10 minutes or so. They seem to work mostly fine indoors though. Just getting fed up with the audio cutting out for a second or 2. I’ve had some Sony link buds s before that did pretty much the same thing. So please what are some of your recommendations? They would need to at least be able to play a podcast or music for 4hours without a break.

You said you found them for the same price?  What was the price? I'm not seeing them for less than $250. Linkbuds fit are $200, on sale for $180.  Damn I think I'm still gonna buy the Fit despite reading some issues--you want to try talking me off this ledge?  I just loved the comfort of the Linkbuds S so much until the battery failed just short of 2 years.

I have a pair of Sony Linkbuds s, they're a great little set of noise cancelling ear buds - highly recommended!

I got Sony Linkbuds S. A little overpriced in my opinion. I think it probably makes sense to stick to wired earbuds.

I had them. The ear shape is really important here. They kept falling out whenever I was doing basic things, let alone skating. Switched to Sony Linkbuds S. They sit tight

I am skating with Sony Linkbuds S. They are tight and I never worry about them falling out

Sony bricked them with a software update. Also looking for an alternative, did you find anything comparable?

Also the Sony linkbuds S are a good option for $150.

Heavy on the linkbuds s

Sony Linkbuds S, love them

I'm using the Sony LinkBuds S at the moment as my Jabra's Elite Active 8's died and the store I bought them from gave me the choice between the Linkbuds which were the closest price/feature comparable product or a refund. The Linkbuds take a beating I jog in them without issue. ANC is good, Multipoint is good, battery life is ok, I'm getting about 4-5 hours with ANC on, 6-7 with ANC off. Hearthrough is also good and picks up a lot without being annoying. My only bugbear coming from Jabra is * I miss real/actuated buttons that Jabra has * The earbuds don't have any mute button which is annoying for calls/confrencing * Microphone isn't all that good, can randomly sound like I'm speaking in a toilet or a room with echo and voice isolation is not good, there is too much background pickup. * Pairing requires them being in the case or using the app, you can't put them into pairing mode using buttons like you can with Jabra. Mine are ususally paired with phone, laptop, ipad, android tablet & Nintendo switch and it can get annoying when I need to switch.

The Sony Linkbuds S is also worth noting imo. I’ve been using them for almost everything in the past year and a half and it sounds great for the price. I got a deal on Amazon for them (probably like 20% I don’t remember entirely) and they still sound great today. Though I have overtaxed it now and the right side is starting to die super early. I still feel like it was worth the purchase

I really like the sony linkbuds s, they are very lightweight, have pretty decent sound and very good ANC if you care for that at all. They can last for a very long time. After two years of multiple hours a day one of the buds wouldn't last more than half an hour, but I don't know why and I don't think it is that common. I would still recommend them, they are great especially when purchasing during a sale which happens pretty often for them.

Forget what I said then, but yeah apart from that they are great

I cant emphasize enough how good sony linkbuds fit for this kind of activities

Buy the Sony link bud S I love them it’s about $230

You need to get a pair of Sony Linkbuds S. They're not that expensive and honestly incredible. Best active noise csncelling I've seen by far on earbuds, great audio quality and ambient sound mode (also pretty impressive). I used a pair heavily on a daily basis and just got another pair 2 years later (batteries were at the end of their life cycle). I've rarely been more impressed by headphones, let alone earbuds as I was by the Linkbuds S.

Go with a set of good earbuds, they’ll last all day and then some. I liked the jbl tunes, but upgraded to the Sony link buds and they’re awesome and comfortable, you forget you even have them in

I have the Linkbuds S and they're great! They do not fall off even if I headbang aggressively (as a test since I'm not a metal head). And sometimes you don't even notice that you're wearing them. I just wish they had a longer battery life on the earphones + case and they would be top-tier.

I have sony linkbuds s and technics az80.  I wfh and switching between calls and teams etc, I always get told how clear and good the technics are for voice and no background noise (the multipoint is always perfect t too!) Technics has an adjustable "just my voice" feature and works well!  with the sony the multipoint is hit & miss (unreliable) and I get told I sound like I'm in a empty hall. Lots of background noise etc. 

I can confirm this problem with the Linkbuds S as well, I got mine a couple of weeks ago, and after just 1 day a scretching sound came from the right earbud, then the sound like the wind is heard only when the ANC is activated. I took them to Sony, so hope they can give me a refund. Anyways thanks for informing about the linkbuds fit, 'cause I was thinking in getting them instead of another Linkbuds S pair.

If you are thinking about using them without playing music just for mere noice isolation keep in mind that most anc earbuds produce more or less slight white noice. I use anc earbuds for meditation as a dad of toddlers and that white noice is a dealbreaker for me. Bose qc earbuds II/ultra have the most of this white noise I ever experienced, while having undeniably the most effective anc on the market these days. I can recommend the Sony linkbuds s for the best balance between effective noice isolation and the least white noice from it. The xm5 also don’t have a lot of white noice, but the foam tips are pretty uncomfortable to wear. If that doesn’t bother you, I’d recommend these too.

That’s very subjective, but I always end up with my AirPods Pro 2, the whole package is just too compelling at least when you are in the apple eco system. They are like amongst the top three best anc earbuds and everything else is so fluid and reliable while the sound is solid but nothing special. My second most used earbuds are the Sony linkbuds s, which I prefer over the xm5 due to the better comfort, at least in my ears. The Bose qc (II,ultra, gen 2) are supposed to have market leading anc, but as far as I tested them, the connection wasn’t reliable enough and there was too much white noise for my taste. And the cases are too bulky for me to carry them always in my pocket - I don’t use what I don’t have at hand anytime. I wish there was something more exciting than the AirPods, but nothing could beat them for me for longer than a week so far. I don’t have tested many over ears, I own the xm4 and the Bose quiet comfort 45. Both are supposed to be great last generation anc headphones but I don’t get more anc out of them than with my AirPods. Since these are way more convenient, I usually don’t come up using overears. When I sit down in order to listen to music concentrated I use my sennheisers or betweens and so on, but that happens very rarely. 99% of the time I use my AirPods especially while commuting, when reliability is key and I want to make sure that a during a long day out of the house my earbuds won’t let me down.

It’s important you buy from a retailer with good return policies, because earbuds are incredibly subjective. You need to wear them for a while and you have no risk then. If you can tolerate the foam tips, the wf1000xm5 are great earbuds with one of the most effective anc and fantastic sound, IF… you have to try it yourself. Keeping AirPods up to date with a MacBook should work, I never tried it myself because they date up clandestinely in the background when connected to my iPhone. There are new Sonys about to be released later this month, the linkbuds fit, but there is no review so far so we can’t tell about their quality. Since I like the linkbuds s a lot, I am very interested in these.

yes linkbuds s after 1 year can just last around 1 hour for me and the left side always drain first

I highly recommend you go out to a sony store and try out the linkbuds s. I didn't consider it much but after trying it at the store only for 5 minutes I know it was gonna be my next earphone.

The Sony LinkBuds S which are MFI-certified and are the only earbuds that fit perfectly in my ears. I’ve tried the normal Airpods, the AirPods Pro and Huawei FreeBuds Pro, but neither fit well. Every time I smiled, they would pop out and cause significant discomfort.

I use sony linkbuds s with iphone 15 and i’m very satisfied with it.

Sony Linkbuds S for in-ear. They are very small. Soundcore Aerofit 2 for on-ear.

Just wanted to chime in, as I found this post during my own search. I have the linkbuds S. They are super lightweight, and fit my tiny ears great. Sound is great and ANC is amazing. However the Bluetooth connection is abysmal. Constant audio drops and glitches and pops. I've adjusted every conceivable setting, priority to stable, AAC instead of LDAC etc.... but it's just shit. I've had several pairs of galaxy buds (none of which particularly fit well) but they never had the Bluetooth problems these have. I have Sony XM4 over ears, and they don't have this problem either. Seems to be just the linkbuds, and a google search will find similar sufferers. Also using the silicone tips I get lots of noise from head movement too, terrible for the gym (but not a problem with 3rd party foam tips). This is using a galaxy S10, then a galaxy s24. Same problem on both phones. The search continues.....

As a woman who loves comfy earbuds, I’ve tried a few that really stand out. The Sony LinkBuds are super light and comfortable, and I love that they let me hear everything around me while still enjoying my music or calls. The Oladance Wearable Stereo surprised me with how comfy they are too. They sit outside your ears but stay in place, and the sound quality is impressive.

Idk. My linkbuds S have been fine for a year. I haven’t heard about xm5 having the issue at least not as widespread as xm4 did But, I get all my Sony stuff from Secondipity @ eBay now, for the 2yr ebay refurbished warranty

Out of all the buds I tested and tried the least obtrusove ones and probably the most comfortable ones for me personally were the Sony Linkbuds S ones. They are small and somehow shaped to fit weird ears. Subjective opinion of course.

I was very disappointed in the linkbuds s, battery died completely after 2yrs and noise cancelling wasnt nothing to praise

having used XM4, XM5 and Linkbuds, so far 710N are doing better job.. no one complained of call quality. however for call quality Huawei freebuds pro 4 are the best

Try different ear tip, my linkbuds s only have that pulsing sound when I finishing showering and I think that's maybe because my ear have water or my blood veins expanded because of the hot water

I do recommend Linkbuds S, you really forget that they are in your ears. Very good fit good for sports, good for sleeping (I can sleep with them on the się but for my wife they're to big)

Those earbuds (I think you may be referencing the A40s?) hurt my ears as well. I find the 1more aero quite comfortable, decent performer all around as well, although I don't see them getting mentioned much. Although, I have too many earbuds throughout the price range, kind of an obsession. I feel like the aero are a solid option if your ears happen to be shaped like mine, which have a relatively shallower concha. Sony linkbuds s are probably the most comfortable \*for me\* besides sleep buds, but above $100. Earfun air pro 4 are reasonably comfortable to me as well and a really good value.

>After two years of multiple hours a day one of the buds wouldn't last more than half an hour, but I don't know why and I don't think it is that common. It's unfortunately very common, mine have the same issue, and you can find tons if reports on the /r/Sony sub. Amazing buds otherwise.

I feel your pain. Your best bet is the Steelseries Gamebuds. They are almost 0 latency with the dongle. The ANC is terrible though. I didn't like the fit, even though the functionality was excellent. I've tried various BT-LE buds which are lower latency than normal buds but even they only ever get to about 120ms which I can still notice. Most recently I tried the Sony Linkbuds S in LE mode and while much better than normal BT buds, there was still noticable latency. Too much for any kind of competative gaming. It seems that no one makes a good set of 2.4GHz dongle buds that have top end ANC and sound quality. In the end I went with an over-ear headset on 2.4GHz I have just ordered the Jlabs by the way. I'll have them tomorrow and will report back.

Durable will hardly matter if the battery isn't replaceable. The number of brands with any model with intentionally user-replaceable battery is almost zero. Some can still be replaced. I replaced the battery on my Sony Linkbuds S, but it was not for the feint of heart. Otherwise, they've been good. I don't love the app, and I think it should be illegal for apps that you need to interface with hardware that you bought to have any kind of ad (even if its minimal like with Sony's). repair-ability isn't everything, but the batteries in wireless earbuds are tiny and their lifespans are short because of the batteries, and other than the batteries, there is no reason why these devices shouldn't last a decade or more. So knowing that the battery can be replaced (even with some difficulty) is a big deal to me. I think with EU regulations coming into effect in the future, there will start to be more offerings and some might even be sold in the US. Fairbuds are not available in the US and they are the only wireless earbuds I know of with properly user replaceable batteries.

Jabra Elite 18 gen1.samsung galaxy bur 2 pro.sony links buds S.Never fell down.dilby atmos and head tracking very sweet.

Pretty much any premium choice, like sony, Bose, Samsung, etc. if you want something lightweight, the new Sony link buds are great. Bose has great sound in their quietcomfort earbuds, but call volume is a bit lower than the competition. Galaxy buds are great all around. I have owned a few pairs.

Sony Linkbuds S are pretty nice.. i think you can get a pair at 500 or slightly above

Sony Linkbuds.. not too expensive, not too cheap, a lot of case customization from shopee can connect to 2 device at same time

The best buds are the iFi Go Pods with a pair of dedicated IEMs. I'm running them with the Theiaudio Hype 4 For traditional earbuds, my personal ranking list: Technics AZ80 > Denon Perl Pro > Sennheiser Momentum TW 4 (w/ Sound Personalization) > Sony Linkbuds S > AirPods Pro 2 > Sony XM5 > Galaxy Buds2 Pro > Beats Studio Buds+/Beats Fit Pro > Powerbeats Pro I end up daily driving the Momentum 4s most days, just given their ANC/Transparency is competitive with other sets, and the app is fairly solid. Sound quality alone, toss up between the AZ80 and Perl Pro.

Temporarily need new Bluetooth, had Linksbuds S until now and was very happy with them. I want to try out some 'higher class' ones for this time, What can you suggest?

Linkbuds or Linkbuds S? Have mine since February and didn't notice any decline in battery life..

Alright then, I always had a good fit with Linkbuds S

You could try the sony linkbuds S, a cheaper alternative to the xm5 their flagship. Similar quality of noise cancelling and sound quality in my opinion, but with a cheaper price tag

Same issue happened with my linkbuds S-- battery issue after a year. In the same boat trying to find a similar alternative, but struggling to switch because I loved them while they lasted.

I don't have battery problems with LinkBuds Open. I had battery problems with LinkBuds and LinkBuds S. On LinkBuds battery died on right bud and on LinkBuds batteries died on both buds. Other Sony buds that I had battery problems was WF-1000XM4. With WF-1000XM5 after 2 years no any battery problems. So, this is not related to all Sony buds, just LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4. This is shit batteries or bad firmware optimisation. For this tipe of buds LinkBuds Open are the best buds. Bass is not the best, but they still have bass. Yes, I had some connection problems and after latest firmware update those connection problems has almost gone. If you don't like NC get LinkBuds Open.

I don't have battery problems with LinkBuds Open. I had battery problems with LinkBuds and LinkBuds S. On LinkBuds battery died on right bud and on LinkBuds batteries died on both buds. Other Sony buds that I had battery problems was WF-1000XM4. With WF-1000XM5 after 2 years no any battery problems. So, this is not related to all Sony buds, just LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4. This is shit batteries or bad firmware optimisation. For this tipe of buds LinkBuds Open are the best buds. Bass is not the best, but they still have bass. Yes, I had some connection problems and after latest firmware update those connection problems has almost gone. If you don't like NC get LinkBuds Open.

Sony consistently makes bad quality earphones, it's just nobody has had the will to document all cases to sue. I bought a pair of LinkBuds back in 2024 and they broke within the year—sound was like the membrane broke. They replaced for used headphones (they registered with a fucking John Rando's name in Android). Now, battery life is very uneven between the two pieces. Honestly I got tired of looking for service because they make you work too much for it. $150 plus tax I'll never see again. F** Sony.

Sony imo. DISCLAIMER, PLEASE READ!! Every good Bluetooth headphone has an App with an equalizer (EQ) If they don't avoid them like the plague. Download the app to customize the equalizer to your preferred sound and they will sound like perfection. For earbuds Sony wh-1000xm4 for best sound 10/10 but bad fit 5.5/10, link bud S for fit 10/10 and sound 8.5/10 mic is good too for how small they are, and you can get them refurbished for cheap. For headphones the 1000xm4 are better than xm5 imo, 10/10 comfort, mic I'm pretty sure is just alright but the sound is as good as it gets for non open back headphones.

I use Sony Linkbuds. Super comfortable. Long battery life.

What about the Sony LinkBuds S? I love them!

I used Sony Linkbuds S until the battery issue killed them. I enjoyed then but couldn't justify buying Sony again after they died Shirley after 1 year of use. Now I've switched to the Samsung Buds3 Pro. The have been pretty good and are fairly comfortable. I got them for a really good price when I upgraded my Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Agree on Linkbuds S, but the battery isssue is a disgrace. I had to replace the battery on mines a bit after 2 years.

Sony Linkbuds S

I own the AirPods and the Sony and use both with my iPhone. The Sonys are about 120 Euro and there are worlds between both in sound quality. The Sonys sound so much better than the Apple AirPods. Both have a very similar noise cancellation. But the Sonys have way more bass and you can tune them with the eq. And keep one thing in mind: both are not able to change the battery. So in 3-4 years you can throw them into garbage. The Sonys are about 120 Euro. And the AirPods are 270 Euro. I think it’s a no brainer to buy the Sonys.

Not at all.

Own them since may 2024. My wife got a pair first and I’ve tried hers. Before I was AirPods only. I was so blown away by the Sonys that I bought a pair for me. As I don’t have any problems I didn’t search the internet for problems. Bought them on Amazon. So if there’s a problem, I know that Amazon will help men out.

I'm on my second set of the Sony link buds S mainly because I have relatively small ears. They don't move an inch on a 10 mile run and their also super comfy to casually wear in work etc. the ANC and sound quality i would say is very good too but I'm not an audio expert. I feel like their overlooked a lot of the time, I went for them mainly because I wanted something small and I love them.

Do they make a version that doesn't look like a little ding a ling falling out of my ear? I spent a good amount of time a year ago trying to find best buds for phone calls around $150. Settled on Sony Linkbuds S but they've got their own little problems - random disconnects, connect to phone while in case. I'm looking for buds that have good call quality, I can't stand some of my coworkers dollar store buds where my ears are getting echo chamber blasted.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are also a great choice if you really need top-tier noise cancelling. They’re a little more comfortable for long periods, but in terms of pure ANC power, Sony edges them out slightly. Both will do an awesome job on those low-pitch sounds that most earplugs can’t touch.